Chuck Abbott

1 month ago | muckrack.com | Chuck Abbott

For former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, retirement at age 74 is out of the question. “There’s work to be done in food and nutrition security,” said the tireless proponent for climate-smart agriculture and creating new sources of farm income. “And I will look for opportunities to be engaged in that effort,” he added during his final days in office. On Jan. 28, about two weeks after Successful Farming sat down with Vilsack, he was announced as the CEO of the World Food Prize Foundation.

Jan 17, 2025 | agriculture.com | Chuck Abbott

For Tom Vilsack, a tireless proponent as agriculture secretary for climate-smart agriculture and creating new sources of farm income, retirement is out of the question at age 74. “There’s work to be done in food and nutrition security, and I will look for opportunities to be engaged in that effort,” he said during his final days as USDA secretary of agriculture. With nearly 12 years of service in the Obama and Biden administrations, Vilsack is the second-longest serving agriculture secretary.

Jan 17, 2025 | muckrack.com | Chuck Abbott

Think tank leader Brooke Rollins, a top White House aide during the first Trump administration, will start work as agriculture secretary with a valuable asset: the president’s ear, outgoing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “She has a relationship with the president. Boy, that is really, really important in the ag job,” said Vilsack, who led the USDA for 12 of the past 16 years. “I’m confident she will be confirmed.”President-elect Donald J.

Dec 18, 2024 | agriculture.com | Chuck Abbott

A Louisiana resident was hospitalized with “severe illness” due to the bird flu virus, the most serious U.S. case since the viral disease appeared in wild birds in the South nearly three years ago, said the Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as bird flu outbreaks in dairy herds, previously limited to the Central Valley, were detected in Southern California.

Dec 17, 2024 | agriculture.com | Chuck Abbott

Congressional leaders have agreed on $10 billion in financial aid to farmers to offset lower commodity prices and high production costs, said House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday. The money would be part of a must-pass bill to fund the government for the next three months. “So I think what you’ll see reflected in this final package is $10 billion,” Johnson said during a news conference. “The CR [continuing resolution] is coming together. Bipartisan work is ongoing.